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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. K. WHITNER AUTOMATIG BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

- [ru e/liar N. PETERS, rmwmho ra mr. Washmgm (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. K. WHITNER.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR RAILWAY CARS.

No. 338,213. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

N4 PETERS. Plwin-Lilhugnphar. Washinglon. 0. x;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM K. VVHITNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,213, dated March 16, 1886.

Application filed June 25, 1885. Serial No. 169,742. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAMK. IVHITNER, of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automatic Brakes for Railway-Oars, of which the following is a specification.

My improvement relates to apparatus to be employed in automatically applying the brakes to railway-cars in case of accident without the intervention of any person, and is especially intended to be employed with what is commonly known as the XVestinghouse automatic-brake system.

In order to a clear understanding of my improvement and its operation, it may be well to refer briefly to the construction and mode of operation of the Vestinghouse automaticbrake system. In that system compressed air from a main reservoir at the engine is admitted through a main air-pipe to auxiliary reservoirs arranged one beneath each car of a train. The compressed air in the auxiliary reservoirs is normally at the same pressure as that within the main air-pipe. hen, however, the pressure is reduced in the main airpipe, which may be accomplished either by exhausting the air from the main pipe or by opening a vent therein, the pressure of the compressed air within the auxiliary reservoirs operates to close valves,which prevent the escape of the compressed air into'the main airpipe, and opens other valves, which permit the compressed air to flow into the brake-cylinders, where pistons are thereby moved to operate levers and brake-rods to apply the brakes.

It is the object ofmy improvement to automatically open a vent in the main air-pipe in case of accidentsuch,for instance, as derailment, broken axle, broken journal-box, bent axle or the likeso that the brakes will be instantaneously applied.

I will describe in detail apparatus embodying my improvement, and then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a sectional plan or top view of the trucks of a car, showing portions of the usual automatic-brake system, and one mode of arrangement of my improvement to be operated by a displaced the plane of the line as as, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is 2.

view showing a different arrangement of this apparatus. Fig. 5 is a plan of a car-truck embodying one form of my apparatus to be operated by a bent axle or displaced wheel. Fig. 6 is a view of a form of my apparatus to be operated by mechanism connected with an open switch or stop signal; and Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view of certain parts.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designates the bot-tom of a car.

13 designates the main air-pipe leading from the main compressed-air reservoir, (not shown in the drawings) 0, the auxiliary reservoir connected to the main air-pipe bya pipe (not shown in the drawings;) D, the intermediate valve. A pipe, a, leads from said valve to the brake-cylinder E. Levers b b, connected at one of their ends to the piston-rod of the piston within the cylinder E connect at their other ends with brake-rods, by which, when compressed air is admitted to the cylinder E, the brakes are applied.

As the apparatus thus far described does not broadly constitute part of my invention, I have only referred to it thus briefly.

Referring first to my improvement as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, F F F designate a pipe or tube. This pipe or tube is composed of any frangible material-such. for instance, as glass, pottery, or the like. It is air-tight. As here shown, it is arranged upon the truckframe, to which it may be secured by suitablydisposed straps or bands, or in any other convenient manner. The portion F extends across the end of the truck-frame. The portions F extend for a distance at either end lengthwise of and parallel with the side portions of the truck-frame. Intermediate of these end portions said portions F dip downwardly outside the car-wheels, so as to form a bend or sag, which, however, extends near enough only to the car-track to admit of a free play of the car-springs without bringing the pipe into contact with the track.

The portions F of the pipe at their upper ends extend horizontally from the portions F, thence downwardly upon the opposite sides of the wheels to that upon which the portions F extend, and thence again horizontally to join the portions F, so as to form, as it were, a loop about the carwheels. The portions F may be omitted, if desirable. l. have shown such an arrangement in Fig. 4.

G designates a pipe, preferably of flexible hose, connected near one end by asuitable coupling to the portion F, just described, at about the center thereof, and at the other end to the main air-pipe 13. Should the pipe F F F become broken, a vent is opened into the main air-pipe B and the brakes are instantly applied. This pipe F F F may be broken in various ways, among others by a bent axle, by which the car-wheels are caused to wabble, by a broken axle, which allows the wheels to cant against the pipe; by a derailment of the car-wheels, which allows the portions F" or F of the pipe to be brought into contact with the rail; by a broken journal, or by a broken truck-frame. Upon the occurrence of any of these accidents the brakes will be applied and the train stopped.

In this example of my improvement I attach the flexible pipe G to the pipe F F F at the greatest radius from the bolster-pin which a radial line drawn longitudinally of the truckframe will admit, in order that any displace ment of the truck other than that usually incident to its movements will rupture said connection, and so create a vent for the main airpipe, which will apply the brakes. The pipe G must therefore be of sufficient length only to admit of the usual movements of the truck frame, in order that should an unusual move ment occur its connection will be easily ruptured. This arrangement will provide for an accident in which there is no actual disintegration of the parts-as, for instance, when one truck of a coach keeps to the main track while the other follows the turn-out to a side track.

In the coupling-piece of the flexible pipe G, I prefer to arrange a valve, (1. (Shown more clearly in Fig. 7.) wardly from the main air-pipe into the pipe F F F. I provide this valve for thepurpose of preventing the escape of the compressed air from the pipe F F F during the ordinary working of the brake system. WVhen the compressed air is withdrawn from the main pipe in the ordinary way, the valve (Z is closed; but when a fracture occurs in the pipe F F F the compressed air in the main pipe forces this valve open and allows air to escape from the main pipe, thus applying the brakes.

In the example of my improvement illustrated in Fig. 5, H is a pipe of any suitable material, but preferably of iron, secured to the bolster of the truck-frame about midway in the length thereof. The flexible tube G extends from the pipe H to the main air-pipe of the brake system. The ends of the pipe H This valve opens out-' are normally closed by covers, consisting of bulbs J or plugs j, hereinafter to be more fully described. I have shown one end of the pipe H closed by a bulb and the other by a plug. I designates a sleeve, of wood or other suitable material, which is fitted on over the end of the pipe H. Instead of using the sleeve, however, I may form a-socket at the end of the tube, if desirable, in which the plug j will fit. Packing material f, preferably of rubber, is inserted in the open ends of the sleeve or socket. The bulb J is preferablyzcupshaped, and is made of frangible material. It is placed with its open end against the packing material f. Over the closed end of the bulb J extends a retaining-piece, made of wirenetting or similar material. Rods h are socured at one of their ends to the retainingpiece gand at their other end to the truckframe or appurtenances thereof as, for instance, to arms K, secured by belts or otherwise to the bolster and extending upon each side thereof at right angles thereto, adjacent to the carwheels. The rods h tend to hold the retaining-piece, and consequently the bulb J, firmly in position. I have shown link-nuts tin the rods 71., by which the latter may be adjusted as desired. It will be observed that the bulb J and plug j extend quite close to the axles of the wheels. In the event of the axle becoming bent which is adjacent to the bulb J, it will strike the bulb J, and by fracturing it permit air to escape from main pipe, whereupon the brakes will be applied. The plug 7' is preferably made of wood and is firmly held by rods h, similar to the rods 71, against the opening in the end of the pipe H, the said rods being connected directly to the plug. A bent axle will knock this plug out of place, and so open a vent. when struck by a displaced wheel, will be broken or canted to one side, so as to relax the strain of the rods h h upon the bulb or plug J j, and so displace the latter and open a vent to the main pipe.

In the example of my improvement illustrated in Fig. 6, L designates a pipe secured in any convenient manner to a car and connected at one end to the main air-pipe of the brake system. This pipe extends outwardly for a distance beyond the car-wheels, and its outer end has fitted to it by any suitable air-tight connection a cup-shaped piece or bulb, J. -M designates an obstruction adapt ed to be moved into the path which the bulb J pursues when moving along with the train. The obstruction M is, as here shown, mounted upon a rod, N. This rod extends from a stopsignal or a switchoperating device. (Not shown in the drawings.) The rod N has coilsprings 0 arranged about it, one upon each side of the obstruction M. These springs abut at one of their ends against the obstruction M, and at their other ends against pins is, extending through apertures in the rod N. WVhen the bulb J strikes the obstruction, the latter yields slightly, and is subsequently re The arms K,

IIO

turned to its normal position by the springs. Outside the pins 7c arms or links I? are loosely connected near one of their ends to the rod N. Near their other ends these links P are pivotally connected to a suitable support arranged outside the ear-track. The obstruction is situated at a sufficient distance from the switch or stop-signal to be beyond the point of danger to the train,ensuing through a misplaced switch or a disregard of the stop-signal by the engineer. The operation of opening a switch or manipulating a stop-signal to indicate that the train should stop brings the obstruction M into the path of the bulb J by swinging the arms or links K into the position indicated in full lines. When the bulb strikes the obstruction,the former is shattered, a vent is opened in the main air-pipe of the brake system,and the brakes are applied. When the stop-signal is not displayed or the switch is closed,the obstruction is in the position shown in dotted lines, and is consequently removed from the path of the bulb J.

I do not limit myself to the precise arrangement of pipes, bulbs, or plugs shown, as the same may obviously be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I am aware that a flexible connection has been used between the main air-pipe of a brake system and a car-truck, which flexible connection might be ruptured to open a vent to the main air-pipe.

such flexible connection.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a brake system, the combination,with

I do not lay claim to.

the main air-pipe, of pipes or bulbs of frangible material so disposed upon a car-truck or its appurtenances that displacement of the cartruck or derangement of its parts will fracture said pipes or bulbs and afford vent to the main air-pipe, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a brake system, the combination,with the main air-pipe, of frangible pipes or bulbs disposed about a car-truck or its appurtenances, and a flexible connection between said pipes or bulbs and the main air-pipe, subtanti ally as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a brake system, the combination,with the main air-pipe, of pipes or bulbs of frangible material disposed about a car-truck or its appurtenances, a flexible connection between said pipes or bulbs and the main air-pipe, a coupling-piece, and a valve in the couplingpiece which will prevent the re-flow of air from the frangible pipes to the main air-pipe, substantially as specified.

4. In a brake system, the eombination,with a main air-pipe, of a pipe of frangible material disposed about a car-truck or its appurtenances, and a flexible connection between said frangible pipe and the main air-pipe connected to the frangible pipe at the point of farthest radius from the bolster-pin of the car which a radial line drawn longitudinally of the truek-frame will admit, substantially as specified.

HIRAM K. VVHITNER.

IVitnesses:

CHAS. H. WGLTJEN, G. SHUMWAY. 

